The Freedom Caucus: They’re Bankrupting the Heart of Wyoming
Nobody likes taxes. That’s not up for debate. Whether you’re ranching, running a small business, or just trying to keep up with life in our beautiful Wyoming communities, we all feel the pinch every time the government wants a little more of our paycheck or property.
But here’s the truth that the so-called "Freedom Caucus" doesn’t seem to understand; some taxes aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. They are the foundation that keeps Wyoming strong and working for you.
When you pay your property taxes, you’re helping fund the men and women who keep us safe; the sheriff’s deputies, firefighters, EMTs, and local road crews who plow the snow so you can get to work and so ambulances can reach your loved ones. You’re helping local schools stay staffed and rural hospitals stay open. Around here, those aren’t “extras.” They’re how we survive and thrive.
The Freedom Caucus claims eliminating residential property taxes will make Wyoming “freer.” But their plan doesn’t make sense. While they say they're helping people in financial need- and the state already has 5 programs that do that- they want to go further.
Adding more property tax cuts - especially for those who don't need them- means the rest of us will have to pay more. The Freedom Caucus wants to replace property taxes with higher sales taxes; meaning every trip to the hardware store, or for new school supplies will cost you more. Sales taxes on that new vehicle, hunting equipment, eating out, new clothes, and for most other goods could double. For hardworking families, retirees, and folks on fixed incomes, that’s not freedom. That’s punishment.
And what happens when sales taxes don’t cover the gap? Local services suffer. Roads don’t get fixed, classrooms get more crowded, and rural fire and police departments lose the resources they depend on. Meanwhile, big donors and wealthy landowners, the ones with thousands of acres or multiple properties, save the most.
One legislator actually said this plan is good because “rich people can take their property tax savings and buy a private jet.”
Really? That’s the plan for a stronger Wyoming?
We believe in accountability, responsibility, and taking care of our communities. That’s real conservatism, not performative politics that wreck our roads, hollow out our towns, and undermine the institutions that make our state the envy of the West.
Eliminating property taxes doesn’t make Wyoming freer. It makes Wyoming weaker.
If we want to preserve our legacy and support our communities - built on hard work, self-reliance, and neighbors looking out for one another - we can’t let political stunts bankrupt the heart of our state.
Let’s keep Wyoming strong, fair, and free, not broken in the name of a slogan.
